


Christmas Shopping in Saffron City

by SabineElectricHeart (TheLifeAndLiesOfFerns)



Category: Pocket Monsters: FireRed & LeafGreen | Pokemon FireRed & LeafGreen Versions
Genre: Childhood Friends, Christmas, Christmas Presents, Christmas Shopping, F/M, Family, Fights, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-20
Updated: 2020-12-20
Packaged: 2021-03-10 18:55:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,007
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28181997
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheLifeAndLiesOfFerns/pseuds/SabineElectricHeart
Summary: Blue meets Leaf gift-shopping in Saffron City. All he wanted was a little of her time, but he feels guilty. He has a weird way of apologising.
Relationships: Leaf/Ookido Green | Blue Oak, Ookido Green | Blue Oak & Ookido Nanami | Daisy Oak
Kudos: 14





	Christmas Shopping in Saffron City

Christmas had always meant a lot to Leaf and not a lot to Blue.

She loved the chaos and the madness and the whole family being thrown together and this was exactly what he disliked about it all, with all the conflict and obnoxiousness that plagued the Oak clan.

Frankly he could not be bothered with the whole ordeal, especially as it was only for one day. So, he would usually spend December pretending it was just November all over again, and on the 24th, he would sulk in the corner and wait for Daisy to bring him something to eat.

* * *

"Oh, sorry!" Leaf bumped into another shopper, wincing, her bags flying. “Didn’t see you there!”

He ignored her. It was not like he was going to be one of those people who was going to apologise because someone else bumped into him. He had only Veridian City in the middle of the day to deliver his gym battle ledger and accounts to the National Registrar in Saffron City, lest he be behest to fate and have to endure Erika’s dull conversation about tea on the waiting room. _Again_.

Then he saw who had bumped into him.

His much despised, and secretly loved, childhood rival and townie extraordinaire, Leaf. Of course. It was typical that she would be doing her Christmas shopping two days before the big day.

It was his idea of hell, the crowds of people, all the constant bustling and hustling.

He sighed in derision, but bent down to help her pick up the bags, in a demonstration of politeness rarely seen.

Oh, if only Red could have seen him now!

"Leaf, I'm sorry.” He apologised, as the brunette stands up.

“That is quite alright. I wasn’t looking where I was going.” She dismissed, waving her hand.

“That's a lot of shopping you got there." He said, and then felt rather stupid for pointing out the obvious.

"Yes!" She smiled warmly. Her large and relatively tacky Christmas tree earrings jangling against her neck making him smile in response. "It always gets crazy at this time of year, don't you find?"

He nods. "It certainly does."

No, actually, he did not think that. Mainly because he did not have the compulsive need to distribute Christmas gifts throughout the Kanto prefecture.

Despite being an only child of a widowed mother, Leaf was that kind of expansive character that got along with everyone and has tons of friends following her around. As a consequence, she always had long gift lists, and she insisted on choosing each and every last one herself. Based on what he got from her in the past, he would say she has a real knack for it, even if it all seems a little expensive.

Blue wonders how much Daisy pays her to work as a waitress at her Pokémon café in Viridian City so she can afford such lavishness every end of year.

Speaking of the groomer, the young trainer thanked his stars that he had one sister to buy for and he had ordered her presents over the internet. As for the other leaders and Elite Four’s obligatory gifts, his secretary had organised them, and Gramps would complain anyways, so it better to just give him a tie or whatever. Nonetheless, he supposed that he really ought to know what he was getting people.

"Anyways…” Leaf says, awkwardly. “I must be getting on, Merry Christmas and a happy New Year if I don't see you before."

The girl noticed how her childhood friend was stiff, and she knew his opinions about it from way before he went out on his training journey. He probably still is not the type who would enjoy and celebrate this festive time of year, but as it was Leaf's absolute favourite time, she was not going to let a scrooge like Oak spoil it.

"And to you, too." He moved the corner of his mouth in the upward direction but it did not feel like a true smile.

What Leaf did not know was that he was thinking of how he might possibly see her over the festive period. Sure, his sister’s café was just around the corner from his gym, but he had specifically checked with Daisy and she had said that they would be closing down tomorrow, up to January 4th.

If he knew her well, he would guess the object of his affections would spend her jolly season at a friend’s place or with her mother on a resort by the shores of the Lake of Rage. There would be no other opportunity to talk after this.

Before he knew it, though, she had readjusted her bags and went on her way.

He stood mildly dumbstruck and watched her retreating figure for several minutes before he lost her to the hustle and bustle of the crowds and had to step out of other shopper's ways.

He hung around in the busy shopping street, and even as he did, he was unsure why he had chosen to do so. Was it really so that he could bump into her and ask her to have coffee with him to escape the cold winter weather? Did he honestly think that she would say yes?

No, of course not. Not after the way he had insulted her back in July. He was tired and stressed with the gym when he stopped by his sister’s, and unfortunately Leaf had been the closest living body in which he could take on his frustrations.

But then again, had not he done that numerous times? He had been forgiven each and every time before that, even if in all those occasions never had he ever berated her choice not to take on the gym challenge and hang on to Pallet Town while he and Red gallivanted around the prefecture.

He saw a flash of brown hair and a stupid white hat that she had an outstanding predilection disappear into a nearby jewellery store.

Surreptitiously, he followed her in. The store was large and he knew that should he bump into her he would be able to think of some reason he was in there.

"Back again, Leaf?" The young woman behind the counter smiled at her.

"Ah well you know me, can't resist all the pretty things." She laughed her amused laugh, one that he had not heard in a while.

"You never know! Someone might have bought something for you." The attendant smiled before she was called over to another customer.

" _Somehow I doubt it…_ " The waitress muttered to herself under her breath.

The brunette wandered around the shop looking at random cabinets and Blue found himself watching her more than other shoppers, which caused a few angry comments from people he bumped in his creeping.

The sales assistant, having finished her business with the other customer, joined Leaf by the left side as she was peered into a glass cabinet.

"So, which one would you buy if you could?" The woman asks. He recognizes the blonde as one of the Celadon City’s gym trainers. Those girls all had a penchant for commerce.

"Hmm…” Leaf pretended to think about it but immediately pointed to a silver drop necklace containing a large pendant made of sapphire. "That one. Always."

The shop assistant smirked. "A favourite?"

His childhood friend sighed. "I love that necklace, Tamia. So much! It's really rather pathetic considering that it's just a necklace and not one that I'll ever have."

"There is a ring and bracelet to match. They might be more in your price range." The other woman offered.

"I doubt it.” Leaf sighed. “Besides it's a bit sad to buy your own jewellery. I only really came in here to get warm."

Tamia laughed. "No pining for all the pretty jewels? I know I do."

The brunette shook her head resolutely. "No pining."

She hugged the girl named Tamia and left the shop.

Darcy waited until she had left and Tamia was occupied with another customer before going up to the counter asking to purchase that very same necklace.

"Of course, sir." Another assistant, now a man, replied surprised as this was not the sort of item that they sold very often. "Right this way."

Blue barely looked at the price as the gift was wrapped.

"Would you wish to see the accompanying items?" He offered.

Blue paused, buying the necklace had been reckless but at least he could give it to Daisy as a really special event, but he really could not justify buying the other items, no matter how generous were his earnings, between the Former Champion’s pension, his gym leader salary, his research and the performance bonus he was sure to get whenever he came around to give his documents to the Registrar.

"No, that'll be all." The trainer responded.

"Very well, sir.” The salesman said, politely. “Thank you very much."

"Thank you." He said and left the shop.

As he was walking out, he wondered why on earth he had just brought it. He had a receipt, should he return it right now? It was obvious sheer madness, something that he could not credibly chalk up to the weather or lack of sleep. Why had he done it?

Could he give it to his sister? _Really?_ No. So, then what? A very expensive and beautiful necklace would just be sitting in his sock drawer.

What he did not know then was that nine months later he would be back in that shop buying the matching ring to that necklace and that one whole year after he had bought it would be the actual date that he would be giving the necklace to someone.

* * *

"What are you doing to that mistletoe?" Blue asked bluntly.

Christmas has passed, so why would she be fiddling with decorations?

"Nothing." She was lying, of course, as there was a twinkle in her eyes.

The man shot his gaze at the decorations. "I know we didn't have any earlier, so where did you get that bunch and why are you putting it there?"

"No reason…" Leaf sang while tying the mistletoe above the doorframe and clutched at her new necklace, loving the way it hung there.

"I think that you're setting a trap. I think that you know how often you are I will need to walk in and out of that door and you are planning that we kiss each time." Blue smiled at his wife's fabulous plan.

She gasped in faux revolt. "How dare you accuse me of such a thing, Mr. Oak!"

He chuckled. "I think it's just the sort of thing that you would do, Mrs. Oak."

She fell back off the chair she had been standing on and into his arms. "I love hearing you call me that, even if I'm not quite used to it yet."

"Well, you better get used to it, then." He smirked in joy and kissed her forehead.

"Of course, Mr. Oak."

"Jolly good, Mrs. Oak."

It took longer for Blue to track down the bracelet and it was for an entirely different reason that he bought it, but he still ended up giving it to her at the same time of year. Even if it took him years between bumping into his current wife and actually giving her for her birthday Autumn last year, a few weeks before their wedding.

"You know, we never planned this thing right." She turned to him twisting her adorned wrist and watching the precious gems catch in the light.

"How's that?" He asks, as he lifts her up and brings her to the couch.

"Well, we got married at the busiest time of year and I was certainly never good at organising or budgeting for Christmas and now our daughter's born the night before. I'm not sure how we're supposed to cope from now on."

He kissed her cheek and tucked the pink blanket up around his little baby daughter before announcing, "I wouldn't have it any other way."


End file.
